Holder for lamp bulbs and similar articles



June 20, 1950 H. w. JACOBSEN HOLDER FOR LAMP BULBS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed June 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- f'ig. 2.

en r9 Macobsen. His Afiorneg Inventor June 20, 1950 H. w. JACOBS'ENY HOLDER FOR LAMP BULBS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 194.4

Invnfor: Henrg W Jacobsen His Atcofneg Patented June 20, 1950 .HOLDER LAMP BULBS AND ARTICLES Henry W.- J acobsen, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to General Ele ctric Company, a corpoe 1 7 Application June 22, 1944, Serial No. 54159934 I (01. 4964) ration of New York 11 Claims.

, My invention relates, in general, to article holders or clamps, and more/particularly to a holder for supporting tubular lamp bulbs in position duringmanufacture of the lamp.

In thewsealing of tubular electric discharge devices such as fluorescent lamps in general use at present, it is common practice to rest an end of the tubular glass bulb against the rim of the glass stem of the lamp mount after which the contiguous rim portions of the bulb and stem are heated until they fuse'and seal together. Where ploy a bulb holder which will grip the bulb firmly and thus prevent it from moving vertically upward under the influence Of the upward pressure applied to the bulb by the upwardly springpressedstem.

.One object of my invention is to provide a holder for tubular articles which will permit ready adjustment of the articletherein to any given position but which can be locked to hold the bulb firmly against movement therein.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a bulb holder. for lamp sealing apparatus which will center the bulb in the sealing head while permitting longitudinal adjustment of the bulb to its proper sealing position relative, to the lamp mount, after which the holder can b locked so i as to grip the'bulb tightly and hold it against movement therein.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the. following description of a species thereof and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a sealing head for electric lamps or similar devices provided with a bulb holder comprising my invention; Fig. 2 is a l y is cording to the invention is there shown as applied to a lamp sealing machine head 2 of the type described and'clain'ied in'my said c-o-pending application Serial No. 541,519Vz, and comprising a spindle 3 ,rotatably mounted in a turret 4 and provided with a mount support pin 5 for holding a lamp mount 6 upagainst the lower end of a tubular glass lampbulb 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the mount pin 5 is resiliently pressed upwardly against the lamp mount 6, during the sealing operation, by a compression coil spring 8 disposed within the spindle and compressed upwardly thereagainst by ;the-.,engagement of an inner spindle sleeve ,9, .onwhich the spring'is seated, witha oam. track [0. Thejspindle 3 is provided with twovertically-extending side rods ll, ll located on oppositesides of the spindle axis and supporting the holder l. I

As shownv particularly in Figs. 2-5, the holder l according .,to the, invention comprises a U-shaped bracket or body portion l2 having arcuate shaped arms ,|3', |,4 ,secured attheir ends to the vertical side ro'dsfll. oi the spindle 3. vThe bracket l2 isprovidedwith two vertically xtending spaced pivot shafts 1,5 and I6 located on opposite sides of thebase of the U-shaped bracket and journalled Lin bearings I! on said bracket. Locked to the pivot sh-aftflfi is a pair of vertically spaced jawslB adaptedto engage the bulb l on one side thereof. flhebulb is gripped on its other or diametrically opposite side by a jaw l9 locked to the other pivot shaft lmthe said jaw l9 being located in a vertical position midway between the two vertically spacedjawslt.

Mounted on and pinned to the pivot shaft l5 at a. point between the jaws i8, is a collar 26 having a horizontal ball-end arm. 2| extending towards the other pivot shaft IS. The holderjaw l9 is provided with asimilar horizontal ball-end arm 22 extending towardsthe pivot shaft I5. The

adjacent ball ends"23 bf the arms 2|, 22 are reside elevation of' the bulb holder; Fig. 3 is a plan i1 view of the same; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of the holder on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the holder l acceived in a notchtlt at the upper end of a lever arm or yoke 25 the lower end of which is keyed or pinned on a; horizontal pivot shaft 26 journalled inbearings 2 1 onthe holder'bracket l2. Rotation of the horizontal sh aft26 pivots the yoke 25 which thro'ugh' the ball and socket connection with the arms 2| arid'ZZ, pivots the jaws I8 and {9 towards oraway'froiifeach other in unison.

v Fastened at one end to the horizontal pivot shaft 26 is a more or less horizontally disposed operating arm 28 extending forwardly from the said shaft, closely adjacent one of the side rods H, to a point forwardly of th said rods. The front end of the operating arm 28 is pivotally connected to a link 29 extending more or less vertically upward from the operating arm. The pivotal connection between the link 29 and arm 28 comprises a pivot pin 30 fastened to the link and slidable within a vertical slot 3! in the arm 28. A lost motion pivotal connection is thus provided between the link 29 and arm 28. A relatively strong or stifi-acting tension coil spring 32, disposed parallel to and-behind the link 29 and connected between the arm 28 and a stud 33 on the link, constantly tends to pull the arm 28 upward and the link 23 downward so as to take up-ithe lost motion in the pivotal connection between thesaid parts and hold the pivot .pin 3d at the bot tom of the slot 31 in the arm 28." I

The upper end of the link 29 is offset rearwardly and pivotally connected bya pivot pin 39 to an intermediate point of a tog le lever or handle 35. The toggle lever 35 is pivotally' connected, at a point 36 rearward of the link 29., to an anchor or pivot supportb-look fastened to the upper end of'the adjacent side rod ll. In the open position of the holder jaws l8 and IS, the operating hand lever 35 extends forwardly in a more or less horizontal direction from its pivot support block 31 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, while inv the closed or envelopeengaging position of the. holder jaws l8 and i9, the operating hand lever 35 extends upwardly from its pivot support block 31 in a slightly backward tilted position, as indicated in solid lines in Fig. 2. The toggle action of the oper atin hand lever 35 is provided by a tension coil spring 38 connected atone end to the pivot pin 34 on the lever 35 and anchored at its other end to a stud 39 on the holder bracket l2. The point of anchor of the spring 38 to the stud .39 is so located as to cause the axisv or direction or pull of the spring to be alternately transposed from a position ofiset to one side of .the hand lever pivo point .36 to a position. on the other side of the said pivot point when the hand lever 35 is pivotally moved or "thrown from its open to its closed position and'vice versa.

To facilitate the positioning of the envelope '1 in the holder for proper engagementrby the jaws l8, l9 thereof, the holderis provided. with a. loading guide comprisinga pair of vertically aligned bars Ml fastened atone end to, and extending in opposite vertical directions from the holder bracket 12. The tree end portions 4| of the bars 4!; are bent horizontally forward and have V-notches 42' cut in the, ends thereof to thereby provide relatively widely spaced vertically aligned guide jaws ior engaging the en velooe 7 and substantially aligning it vertically with the spindle 3. r g

The envelope I is inserted in the holder 1 by first pressin the envelope back against the stationary jaws 32 and then pivoting or throwing the toggle hand lever 35 through its "dead cen ter" position to a position slightly therebeyond (dash dot lines in Fig. 2) wherein the jaws i3, i9 first close a ainst the envelope and are pressed into engagement therewith solely by the relatively light force of the toggle control spring 38 acting through the toggle lever 35, link 29. spring 32, operating arm '28 and yoke 25, In such position of the, hand; operating lever 35,

grip the envelope lightly so that the latter can be freely slid down through the jaws I8, l9 until its open lower end butts against the rim of the flare .portion 43 of the mount stem 44 resting on the spindle 3. After the envelope is thus properly positioned in the holder jaws l8, IS, the hand operating lever 35 is then pivoted to its fully closed position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Due to the lost motion pivotal connection between the link 29 and arm 28, the movement of the lever 35 to its fully closed position lifts the link 29 relative to the operating arm 28 which is held from further pivotal movement by the engagement of the holder jaws l8, 19 with the envelope. Such lifting movement of the link 29 relative to the arm 28 stretches the tension coil spring 32, thereby causing the holder jaws l8, I9 to be tightly pressed into en- ,g-agement with the envelope by the force of the expanded spring 32 acting on the operating arm 28. The force of the spring 32 is such as to cause the jaws l8, Hi to grip the envelope 1' sufficiently firm to prevent upward sliding movement of the envelope in the holder jaws under theinfiuence .of. the lifting force which is subsequently applied .to the lower end or the envelope by the upwardly spring-pressed mount pin 5 of the spindle.

What I claim. as new and desire to securetby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A. holder for cylindrical articles comprising a bracket, opposed article-engagingjiaws one of which is pivoted on said'bracket to pivot between on open position and a closed article-engaging position, and jaw closure means including-a relatively light-actin sprin member and a relatively stiff-acting spring member 'operatively connected to the pivoted jaw; and actuating means operatively connected to saidspring members and movable to sequentially apply theforce of first said light-acting spring member and then said stiff-acting spring member'to the said pivoted jaw'to. resiliently press it first lightly and then firmly against the article engaged thereby.

' 2'. A holder for cylindrical articles comprising a bracket; opposed article-engaging jaws one of which is pivotally mounted on said bracket, a lever arm operatively connected to the pivoted jaw to pivot it between an open position and a closed article-engaging position, a relatively light-actin spring and a relatively stiff-acting spring operatively connected to said lever arm. and actuatin means operatively connected to said lever arm and Springs and movable to first close the pivoted jaw and apply thereto theforc'e of said light-acting spring to resiliently press the pivoted jaw lightly a ainst the article engaged thereby and then upon further movement apply to the pivoted jaw the Iorce of said stiffacting spring to resiliently press the pivoted jaw firmly against the article engaged thereby.-

3. A holder for cylindrical articles COZ IPIiSing a bracket, opposed article-engaging jaws pivotally mounted on said bracket, and actuating means connected to said jaws to pivot them in unison between an open position and a .closed article-engaging position, said actuating means comprising a pair of members yieldably inter .conected by a springand relatively movable after closure of said jaws against thearticle to ener gize said spring and apply the force thereof to said jaws to resiliently press them firmly against the article gripped therebetween.

4. Aholder for cylindrical articles comprising the jaws center the envelope over the flare and a bracket, pposed article-engaging jaws one. of

which is pivotally mounted on said bracket, a leverarm co-operating with said one jaw to pivot it between an open position and a; closed articleengaging position, said lever arm having a transverse slot therein normal to its pivotal axis, a member having a pin slidable within said slot to thereby connect the memberwith the lever arm, and spring means normally maintaining-said member and lever arm in-a given 'connect'edposition with one another with thepin engaging one end of said'slot, said member being movable-relative to said lever arm, after the said one jaw has been pivoted against the article in the holder, to thereby slide the pin away from the said end of the slot and thus apply the force of the spring to said lever arm to cause it to press the said one jaw firmly against the article.

5. A holder for cylindrical articles comprising a bracket, opposed article-engaging jaws pivotally mounted on said bracket, a lever arm cooperating with said jaws to pivot them in unison between an open position and a closed articleengaging position, said lever arm having a transverse slot therein normal to its pivotal axis, a member having a pin slidable within said slot to thereby connect the member with the lever arm, and spring means normally maintaining said member and lever arm in a given connected position with one another with the pin engaging one end of said slot, said member being movable relative to said lever arm, after the jaws have been pivoted against the article in the holder, to thereby slide the pin away from the said end of the slot and thus apply the force of the spring to said lever arm to cause it to press the jaws firmly against the article.

6. A holder for cylindrical articles comprising a bracket, opposed article-engaging jaws one of which is pivotally mounted on said bracket, a lever arm co-operating with said one jaw to pivot it between an open position and a closed articleengaging position, said lever arm having a transverse slot therein normal to its pivotal axis, a link extending transversely of said lever arm and normal to its pivotal axis, said link having a pin slidable within said slot to thereby connect the link and lever arm, a coil spring connected between said link and lever arm for normally maintaining said link and lever arm in a given connected position with one another with the pin engaging one end of said slot and the force of said spring applied to the lever arm in the direction of its jaw-closing movement, said link being movable in the direction of the jaw-closing movement of said lever arm to thereby slide the pin away from the said end of the slot and thus apply the force of the spring to said lever arm to cause it to press the said one jaw firmly against the article.

'7. A holder for cylindrical articles comprising a bracket, opposed article-engaging jaws one of which is pivotally mounted on said bracket, a lever arm co-operating with said one jaw to pivot it between an open position and a closed articleengaging position, said lever arm having a transverse slot therein normal to its pivotal axis, a link extending transversely of said lever arm and normal to its pivotal axis, said link having a pin slidable within said slot to thereby connect the link and lever arm, a coil spring connected between said link and lever arm for normally maintaining said link and lever arm in a, given connected position with one another with the pin engaging one end of said slot and the force of said spring applied to the lever arm in the direction of its-"jaweclosing mov'einent and toggle means connected to said link andmperative through sa'idlink and lever arm to first 1pivot the'said one jaw from its open to its closed posi-' tion against the-article in the holderand to then displace'thelinkrelative to-theilever arm so as to slide the pin away from the said end 'ofthe slot and thus applythe force of the spring to press the said one jaw firmly against the article,

8. A holder'for fragile articles comprising a body portion, opposed "article-engaging jaws at least'one of which-is pivotally mounted' 'on the bod-y portion,'and means for pivoting the pivoted jaw from an open position to a closed article engaging position comprising an actuating member couple to said jaw through a lost-motion connection, and a spring member operatively inter-- connecting said actuating member and said pivoted jaw to take up the lost motion in said connection, said spring being energizable by said actuating member after closure of the pivoted jaw against the article to thereby apply the force of said spring to said pivoted jaw to resiliently press it against the article engaged thereby.

9. A holder for fragile articles comprising a body portion, opposed article-engaging jaws at least one of which is pivotally mounted on the body portion, and means for pivoting the pivoted jaw from an open position to a closed articleengaging position comprising an actuating member coupled to said pivoted jaw through a, lostmotion connection, with a relatively stiff spring member operatively connected to said actuating member and said pivoted jaw to take up the lost motion in said connection and energizable by said actuating member to apply closing pressure to said pivoted jaw by movement of said actuating member beyond the position in which it has moved the jaw into engagement with the article, and a relatively light spring member connected between said actuating member and a fixed point on said body portion to cause said actuating member to hold the jaw against the article with a light pressure prior to movement of the actuating member to the position in which it brings the stiff spring member into effect.

10. In a holder for cylindrical articles, the combination of a body portion, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said body portion, actuating means comprising a movable operating member coupled to said jaws to pivot them from an open position to a closed article-engaging position, and a pair of spring members one of which is relatively light and the other of which is relatively stiff, the light spring member being connected between said body portion and said actuating means to exert pressure through said operating member on said jaws upon movement of the operating member toward a, jaw closing position, and the stiff spring member being operatively connected between said operating member and said jaws to be energized by movement of said operating member beyond the said jaw closing position to apply a relatively high pressure to said jaws.

11. A holder for cylindrical articles comprising a, body portion, a, pair of jaws mounted to pivot horizontally on said body portion, a lever mounted to pivot vertically on said body portion and having an upwardly extending arm coupled to extensions on said jaws to pivot the jaws upon pivotal movement of the lever, said lever also having an arm extending forwardly and horizontally, a link extending upwardly from the forward end of the horizontal lever arm and conever a ml non at n am; mq ntfi 9 p vs ap s?! en i aidlin and: niyotallm cqn eqtsdnat hfinp nt e toi heu n r end qmaid li and a el t m i t; spy n cqnae d. betwe nsa 0pm n am 11mm fixed mint-on; t e pdy r nofvth hqldqr Ql ateditha .t e p in passfi a dsmicfint osit on. w m. mct fiqt efixfid iv t Minuete nmfiin armwhen a d; am s m ve rt vtq ne fiv ly-qpenland' lose he. i yz W-- JAGOBSEN- REFERENCES CITED Th'a following references are of record in the file'ef this pamenn:

UNITED "STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,547,705 Whitmore at al. July 28, 19-25 1,742,153 Stiles etr-al. Dec.= 31, 1929 1335989 Parker..- Nov. 21,193 2,203,917 Malloy June 11, 1940 236L512 White en a1 Oct. 31,1944

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,512,27 7 June 20, 19 50 HENRY W. JACOBSEN It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 8, after the word to insert said lever arm to cause it to;

line 16, for couple read coupled; and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the sarne may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of February, A. D. 1951.

of the THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssioner of Patents. 

